NEW DELHI, 11 March 2016. “Warships in a navy bear testimony to the industrial capabilities of a country. The Indian Navy’s mantra is self-reliance and indigenization. It now plans to achieve 90% self-reliance in the production of warships which would be possible only when the Navy and industry work together in a synchronized way,” stated Vice Admiral P Murugesan, PVSM, AVSM, Vice Chief of Naval Staff (VCNS), Indian Navy, at the curtain raiser of International Seminar on ‘Make in India’ Paradigm – Roadmap for a Future Ready Naval Force .
Vice Admiral P Murugesan said that ship building can be categorized as float, move and fight. In the float category, India is able to meet its 90% demand domestically; in the move segment, 50% of the demands are fulfilled domestically; and in the fight category only 25-30% is being produced within the country. Hence, it was imperative to expedite the process of indigenization and industry will have to play a major role in it.
In his presentation on the theme of the event Cmde (Retd) Sujeet Samaddar said that the two-day international seminar will be inaugurated by Mr. Manohar Parrikar, Raksha Mantri will have 10 sessions and deliberate the opportunities and perspectives on its futuristic requirements with industry. The seminar will give an opportunity to industry to share specific technologies and leads in R&D. He added that the seminar will address nearly every important area of naval technology.
Dr. A. Didar Singh, Secretary General, FICCI, said that the objective of the international seminar is to bring forward modernization and development agendas of Indian Navy to make the best of the capabilities and how to focus on the future requirements. He added that the seminar is a campaign where the industry-Indian Navy and Government of India would work in a close synergy towards building a strong and self-reliant indigenous defence industrial base in the country.
Vice Admiral G S Pabby, AVSM, VSM, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, Indian Navy and Mr. Jayant D Patil, Chairman, Defence and Aerospace Committee, FICCI, were also present at the press conference.
